The US Navy took delivery of the future USS Fort Lauderdale, the 12th San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock, from Huntington Ingalls Industries' (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding Division on Friday, March 11.
Delivery of the LPD represents the official transfer of the ship from the shipbuilder to the navy. Prior to delivery, the ship successfully conducted a series of at-sea and pier-side trials to demonstrate its material and operational readiness.
Like its San Antonio-class sisters, the future Fort Lauderdale is designed to support embarking, transporting, and landing US Marines and their equipment by conventional or air-cushioned landing craft. The ship's capabilities are further enhanced by its flight deck and hangar, enabling the ship to operate a variety of helicopters and the MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft (MV-22).
Because of the San Antonio-class ships' inherent capabilities, they are able to support a variety of amphibious assault, special operations, expeditionary warfare, or disaster relief missions, operating independently or as part of Amphibious Readiness Groups, Expeditionary Strike Groups, or Joint Task Forces.
